Extremism in climate policy: – It has brought us into a state of chaos

Norway's green transition is going too slowly, says Åslaug Haga in Fornybar Norge. But it comes at a price, she says: Your electricity bill will be higher.

– The climate, the Norwegian consumer and our industry are the losers. When the transition is too slow, the path to meeting climate goals becomes much more difficult — and the price of electricity becomes higher, Haga says.

– We propose the establishment of a cross-party energy committee, to develop a common policy that builds a bridge between industry and climate goals on the one hand, and the need for energy, networks and energy efficiency on the other hand. He tells VG.

The former SP minister is a leader in the NHO Fornybar Norge association, which organizes employers in areas such as wind, water and solar.

She says there's one thing missing in Norway: work.

We have got ourselves into an energy policy dilemma, where we risk being left without enough energy and grid power to secure jobs in industry, cut emissions and lower electricity prices.

At the bottom of the issue, Oil and Energy Minister Terje Aasland (AFP) responded to the criticism.

Greenhouse gas emissions have also decreased in Norway 4.6 percent From 1990 to 2022. The Norwegian target is set at a 55 percent reduction by 2030.

For a long time, Norway took for granted that we had plenty of energy and cheap electricity, Haga says.

– We started too late, when most people realized that a lot had to be electrified, referring to oil installations, among others:

It can reduce emissions by producing electricity from onshore or offshore wind, rather than from emissions-unfriendly power plants.

It also points out that wind energy development on land has been stalled for several years.

– It seems that the matter can be resolved in Füssen and offers have now been made to municipalities, which makes it more attractive to say yes to wind energy?

– The picture is not bleak, and it is positive that more money will now remain in the municipalities if lands are allocated. She says things are moving too slowly, and asks us to look beyond borders.

– This is where we should look to our neighbors. They have seen the seriousness in the past and are moving forward. We fear that the consequences in Norway will still be higher energy prices and the exit of that industry.

The neighbor brags

– Look at Sweden, it says:

– Energy Minister Ibrahim Bilan appointed an energy committee that includes representatives of the Riksdag. The goal was simple: for Sweden to become a zero-emissions zone. The result was that Sweden achieved a different pace of change than Norway.

– Look at Denmark, it says:

– It was adopted by a wide majority in Parliament 32 potential areas for faster development of solar and wind energy. The goal is to quadruple production from these energy sources by 2030.

– What did the Swedes do much better than what we achieved in Norway?

– They were able to think across policies, across political blocs. In Norway, the far right and the far left found each other, in a populist approach, where it was not emphasized that we have a great need to produce new electricity. This means that Norway depends on the Conservatives and Labor having to find each other to a greater extent.

– In Sweden, the government is now receiving heavy criticism and a possible vote of no confidence because its plan is too bad and it has too much going on Great focus on nuclear energy As an energy source?

– Yes, but over time Sweden has become better at making plans and Make a changeamong other things When it comes to wind energy.

– What did the Danes do so much better than Norway?

– They have decided that investing in renewable energy offers great industrial opportunities for Danish industry.

– Has Norway also done this when it comes to, for example, offshore wind?

– The Danes started very early with a steady wind. It is good that investment in Norwegian offshore wind is coming, but we are talking about an ambition of three gigawatts in 2030. In comparison, the British have plans for 50 gigawatts and Germany 30 gigawatts, says Haga.

Bottom fixed wind turbines are wind turbines standing in the sea, fixed to the bottom. Offshore wind generally floats structures off land.

to praise

– Norway just has an energy committee?

– Yes, there is a lot of good that can be built on. She says that what the new cross-party committee will do is accelerate work and ensure progress, pointing to a light in the green tunnel:

– I would like to praise the parties in Parliament for reaching a broad compromise Onshore wind tax Just before Christmas. This is the kind of compromise we need.

Oil and Energy Minister Åsland gives Haga some credit, but not much.

Aslaug has an important point that I agree with; Preparations to confront the challenges we face now should have begun ten years ago. I agree that it is going very slowly, but we have taken a number of measures to develop the grid faster and good demonstrations of more energy production. It is now up to companies to plan networks in a timely manner and develop good energy projects, says Åsland.

He says he sees no point in establishing a cross-party energy committee.

– Energy policy polarization polarization Polarization is the sharpening of positions, such that two clearly contradictory, often extreme, opinions gain increasing weight. In a political context, polarization is used to increase or intensify contradictions between the most important actors in a political system, for example political parties. Source: The Great Norwegian Dictionary.It will not become less polarizing if we sit down and develop an implementation plan. We know that there are some parties that do not want to develop new wind energy at all, and there are parties that do not want new wind energy and not offshore wind energy. In any case, we cannot reach any agreement between the parties on these important areas.

Aasland counters that they do not trade and lists:

• We have received approval to prepare an additional report for the energy report, which prioritizes the way forward.
• We have significantly stepped up investment in offshore wind energy. We are finalizing pre-qualification for the first round of applications South North Sea IIand clarify the qualitative standards with European Space Agency For Utsira Nord.
• When it comes to onshore wind energy, we have resumed the processing of permits, closely drawing municipalities into the process and ensuring that the municipality has more value creation.

– The Vossen case has remained unresolved for many years, slowing down many processes to obtain more onshore wind energy?

The Vossen case has raised doubts among some, but with the framework conditions that have now been created, I believe we can defuse the conflict.